LIVING IN YOUR HOME

ELECTRICITY

Most residents (but not those in Anson and Carleton) pay their own electricity costs through a key meter system. You take the key to a local supplier, get a pre-payment credited to it, and insert the key in the meter to provide you with power. We will tell you where your nearest local supplier is located. There is one in every local shopping area and the display a blue ‘PP2’ symbol on a yellow background. Generally they are within a few miuntes walk of your home.

Each meter has an emergency amount registered on it, so that you do not lose power if credit runs down out of local supplier business hours. Any emergency credit you use will be deducted automatically the next time you credit the meter.

Do not lose your electricity key. Your key is individual to your meter, and will normally take a number of days for the supplier to replace, when lost.

Remember to top up your key meter when you go away as you need the electricity to keep your fridge / freezer working.

GAS

Where an individual gas boiler has been installed to power your central heating you will need to contact the gas company to arrange a gas supply. We will tell you where you have to do this and who to contact.

RUBBISH AND RECYCLING

Every one of our buildings has a rubbish disposal and recycling area. Please dispose of your rubbish thoughtfully. Wrap all perishable items. Recycle where you can. There are local guidelines on when rubbish is collected, how to dispose of it and what you can recycle at your scheme. If you find that the refuse and recycling area is full or unkempt please let your scheme warden know.

DISPOSAL OF LARGER ITEMS

Larger items (computers, TVs, furniture etc) are not collected as part of the refuse service, so you should not leave them in the recycling area. Please refer to local guidelines for more information. You are responsible for disposing of these items at your local municipal refuse depot.

BICYCLES

Because all our residences are fairly centrally located, having a bicycle can be a really good way of getting around. Where it’s possible residences have secure bicycle areas, and you can use these free of charge. However please don’t bring your bicycle into the building (except for bike store access) – it is a fire hazard, and can damage decorations and floor coverings. Please don’t chain it to any railings or fences where again it can be an obstruction or can cause damage. We will remove offending bicycles and dispose of them.

THE LAUNDRY

Every scheme has a laundry, and we would encourage you to use it. We do not allow individual washing machines to be installed in our flats. The laundry charges are cheaper than those at external commercial laundries.

Consideration should be given to other residents and try not to use the laundry between 10.30pm and 7.30am.

IRONING AND VACUMNING

You need to provide your own iron and ironing board. Communal vacuum cleaners are available, and are for the use of residents. Please return them to the designated storage areas as soon as you are finished.

DISCOURAGING VERMIN

Mice, rats and other vermin are an inevitable part of living in buildings that are more than 100 years old in a large city. We employ contractors to deal with them but you can do a lot to help. Please put food away in the fridge or cupboard and clear up after you have eaten. Dispose of all perishable items carefully by bagging them securely.

PETS

We are sorry but there is just no place for any pet in our buildings.

SMOKING

Please do not smoke in your flat or in any of the communal areas.

SATELLITE DIHES AND TV ARIELS

Local laws do not allow the installation of satellite dishes on our buildings. We provide a communal TV aerial which will give you access to digital TV and you can also arrange cable TV. The installation of individual satellite dishes is not therefore permitted.

From 2016 every resident will have access to WiFi. The service is included in the rent for all new tenants.

INSURANCE

You should get insurance for your possessions. Good cheap contents insurance is available through your student body at your university, so you should contact them.

BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOUR

You are living in old buildings with wooden floors and walls that have no insulation. Please try to keep noise to a reasonable level. Please don’t obstruct the communal halls and stairways. Please don’t put rubbish outside your door – only put it in the recycling and refuse areas.

Please be careful when you cook. Burnt food will be detected by smoke detectors and cause the fire alarms to ring.

COUNCIL TAX

As a full time student, you should not have to pay the local tax – council tax. However, if you are living with a spouse or partner who is not a full time student, they may well have to pay an element of this tax. We will try to advise you about this. If you get a bill you should contact us.

THE GUEST ROOM

We have a guest room available at our Glendower Place, SW7 scheme for the use of residents’ family and friends (accommodating one to four people) for short stays. We charge £65-£95 per night, and this includes use of a communal kitchen and shower room. Please contact our office for further information.

COMMON ROOM AND GARDENS

We have a common room at Glendower Place, SW7. This are is for the general use of residents. If you want to use the room for a meeting, private party or similar event you can do so without charge by contacting the office. Please note though, we do not allow the room to be used for political or religious events, or the playing of loud music, or after midnight. You also have the use of shared gardens at some schemes. If you are going tot use the garden please respect the privacy of others when doing so. We do not allow parties to be held in our gardens, and do not allowed music to be played in them.

CLEANING AND GARDENING

We clean all communal areas, hallways, laundries, common rooms, and shared bathrooms at least twice a week. Please let us know if ever there are any problems with the cleaning.

Where there are gardens, we carry out light maintenance work throughout the year, but particularly during the growing season.

Moving on

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR TENANCY EXPIRES

We issue student tenancies which last a year. On expiry of the tenancy (after a year), providing you are still a full time student, we usually offer you a new tenancy, but it is conditional on you having honoured the terms and conditions of your previous tenancy, including being up to date on your rent account. You will need to provide a letter from your university attesting to the fact that you are still a full-time student. When you stop being a full time student we will require you to leave the accommodation.

GIVING NOTICE

You are required to give us at least four week’s written notice when you are leaving. Even if you are unable to give a full four week’s notice you will still be charged rent for the notice period.

MOVING OUT

Subject to any rental or maintenance issues, your rent in advance will be returned to you when we have received your keys and inspected your vacant flat to ensure that it is clean and tidy and has been cleared of all items other than our fixtures and fittings.

A pre-inspection visit will be made of your flat, prior to your departure, to ascertain the condition of the flat and furniture.

Please note that we expect tenants to carry out the following prior to their departure:

1.All personal items should be removed from the flat, including any domestic rubbish.

2.Any posters or decorations, to be removed from the walls.

3.Furniture belonging to ZHA should remain.

4.Any personal items of furniture should be removed.

5.All food should be removed from the fridge and cupboards.

6.The kitchen including the fridge, cupboards, the cooker and work surfaces should all be cleaned.

7.The flat should be thoroughly cleaned. If you require a professional clean we can organise it although you will have to pay for it.

8.Please return your keys to the office during office hours on your last day.